Beer: Ratings & Reviews

Reviews by PDXHops:

1.4/5 rDev -52.9%look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

Another installment from Ryan011235 in the It Ain't All Columbus IPA and Edmund Fitzgerald Up Here series of Ohio reality checks. 12 ounce bottle/LaChouffe tulip. (I find myself slightly disappointed that this Imp offering isn't wax-dipped for that extra touch of fanciness.) Slightly hazy deep amber with a head that quickly pulls a disappearing act. No lace.

The pleasant combo of caramel and honey aromas is beaten down by canned frozen orange juice and a vaguely medicinal smell. Tangy to dang near the point of complete sourness; anything else going on here is pretty much drowned out. Fizzy carbonation aplenty. A complete mess. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Imp, but the open fermentation thing? It's a disaster.

More User Reviews:

A semi clouded amber brown hue with a nice light khaki head pours thick initially but as the head dwindles rather quickly the bubbles are really fizzing away. Aroma has immediate citrus peel and spice combo going on, a bit of caramel or vanilla complementing the fruit and spice. Straight up pine and cinnamon bark bitterness a bit of wet cardboard and tobacco leaf. The spices and carbonation level numb the palate, mild caramel or powdered dry dark chocolate notes hint but this is a strange bird that I am not really feeling. I much rather drank the more sour ales like the Blonde and the Jester. Mouthfeel is unpleasant with the palate numbing effect and heavy carbonation that makes for a pretty lackluster experience. Drinkability is not good for me, some may dig but I'm not feeling it. I like the spontaneous open fermentation and the orignality of these brews but this one I would and could pass on.

Winter Solstice pours a reddish amber color. It's quite hazy, and looks particularly scarlet when held to light. A cream colored head sits on top and is about a finger or so tall. It's quick to recede and leaves a very light lacing in its wake.

The nose is just okay. It's a little light on aromatics. Caramel and toffee scents seem to be the centerpiece. It's a little sweet smelling. There's a hint of a yeasty scent. Perhaps a little bit of a sour note, but not much. I was expecting this to smell much more sour or tart. Eh. There's a slight spicy scent. Cinnamon is there, but not much else.

The flavor's a little better than the nose. It's enough to warrant a score bump. The base is caramel and toffee. It's a little sweet, and has a nice flavor. There's a bit of sour flavor, but it's much less than I expected. I was anticipating something in the vicinity of vinegar-esque, but it's not even close to that neighborhood. Cinnamon is in the mix, and adds a slight holiday feel to it. There's a slight hoppy edge near the finish. It adds a nice bitter kick. Alcohol is blended well. It's pretty straight forward, but really isn't all that bad.

Winter Solstice has a medium body that is quite smooth. Carbonation is light. The feel might be this beer's strongest asset. Drinkability is above average. The flavor is pretty good, and it goes down rather easy. I could handle a bottle or two.

Winter Solstice is my first experience with Indigo Imp beer. It's not bad by any stretch, but isn't all that great either. It needs a little something to add some pizzazz. Perhaps a little more of a sour flavor, more hops, or more holiday spice flavor would ramp it up. It's not bad, and is definitely worth a try in my book. Needs some work to be a staple in the holiday seasonal club though.

My bottle was purchased on clearance For $2 and my label says Winter Soul. I am hoping there is something 100% wrong with my bottle...

No carbonation. Large amounts of heavy sediment again I am drinking from a Samuel Smith pint glass. Hazy brownish almost like a cider look to it.

At first I thought it was a winter edition of a Flanders red with a nice aroma and a sour style flavor. Then the after taste of old tea bags steaped in rotten orange juice made me sure this just can't be right. Since it smells so good, like a dog to its vomit, I have taken 6 good sips and I am going to stop....maybe after this next taste. OK yeah I will agree with the others It is A mess before I make my own mess....

I was hoping to love this beer. I love Flanders Reds. I love Cinnamon! I love that creepy bat cat devil thing on the label....I hated that stupid wax top! I had to shave away the cap to get the bottle open (so I know it was sealed) but for the past week I loved that wax top when I looked at it in my fridge! This beer was so bad I may have to find another just to make sure....

Poured from 12oz bottle. Many thanks to Tifore (Tyler) for the bottle.

A- Pours a murky amberish brown color. One finger off white head has low retention. Light spots of lacing on the sides of the glass.

S- There is a light citrus undertone to this that gets overtaken by a huge chocoalte malt drive. Some other earthy hops in the backend but very light. Pretty much balances out the malts as far as aroma goes.

T- Caramel and toffee malts in the front end of the beer. Some light orange peel flavor that dies alomst as soon as it comes. There is some light peppery notes in the middle of the beer with a hint of chocolate like malts. Ending is earthy flavors along with a sweet alcohol.

M- Medium heavy mouthfeel. Carbonation is light but works for the beer. Caramel and toffee malts left on the palate. This is in the aftertaste as well with sweet alcohol and faded hops. Medium drying on the palate from the alcohol. Flavors are bland but blended well for what it was. No off flavors that others have talked about..a clean bottle free of metallic or sour notes.

D- This beer was drinkable but a little lackluster. I expected a little more from the beer itself but it ended up being just a average drinker. I would like to try this again but as far as right now goes it is average at best.

Had this one as an extra recently. I had never heard of it before, but needless to say the waxed cap look of it was outstanding to say the least! Served chilled and poured into a pint glass, this one was consumed on 04/28/2009.

The pour was the best part with a nice orange tinted light amber. Lots of carbonation was apparent in this one right away as it worked its way up to the top creating a nearly perfect looking head of white that lasted for a few brief moments before settling back down into a bare top with some light lacing along the sides and the bottom of the glass. The aroma was light and very different from what I was expecting to see to be honest. Light apricot and spice notes were prevalent here for sure. But as it warmed the aroma faded to next to nothing which was a little bit off putting. As I went in for the taste I experienced the same thing, Light fruit notes that were pitted against a light cinnamon spice. It was akin to a winter warmer but much, much lighter. Very light feels on this one as well as the carbonation which were both again very light. An easy drinker but to be honest I am not sure why I would want to have more then one glass,

Overall it was decent, just not my thing. If bottle looks were any indication on the overall results this thing would be tremendous, but otherwise it was just an average, lack luster beer.

I was able to find a wax top of this at my local mix six place for $1.75.

A - Quite hazy for an amber looks more like an old ale with a deep brown hue. Head is almost not existent with just a mild lace ring.

S - First smell was mild with some caramel and toffee malt but in the glass I am getting a Flanders red sort of tart brett smell. Other than that funk it mostly smells good.

T - OW wow is this sour like infected sour. Brett seems to have completely taken over and the rest of the body is hollow and watery like a fruit punch. What a fail on an amber/red ale!

M - Not sure the ABV but it drinks like a light beer but not as crisp. The zero carbonation makes it worse.

Overall I am not sure why you would distribute this let alone wax the freaking top. To be fair it was quite cool since they even put a string in the wax for easy removal. Not sure what they were keeping the air out from since this beer is a disaster. Drain pour/avoid!

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sam Adams beer glass at fridge temperatures.

A: Pours a murky light brown with significant chill haze (yes, I carefully decanted off the yeast). Formed a nice head that settles to a tight cap and follows the beer down the glass. No lacing.

S: Spice and orange peel are strongly present, with cinnamon in particular being evident.

T: The beer presents first somewhat like a wit, with notes of orange peel and spice and lots of spritzy carbonation. Some vanilla seems to be in there too. I don't get too much more than the spices, though, although some graininess is detectable toward the finish. There is no hops presence.

M: Very light and spritzy, which is quite odd in a winter warmer.

D: On a cold winter night, this isn't really what I would usually select. With the spices, I think one is plenty.

Overall: I really, really wanted to like this beer. The brewery, which is local to me, says on its website that it brews in open fermenters and bottle conditions. I LOVE that! Unfortunately, this beer is way out of style. Maybe I was expecting a typical "winter warmer" and shouldn't have, but that's how the beer is marketed. The body is too light, the carbonation is too high, and the spices could be more subtle. The chill haze is a shame too; I don't filter the beer I make in my basement, and I manage to get it much clearer.

I have had all the Indigo Imp brews, and this is probably my second favorite of their current four offerings. This is their winter seasonal.

A: Pours a brownish amber color. Very murky and cloudy. Head is rather minimal. You can hear the carbonation fizzing.

S/T: The aroma is very subtle. Its hard to pick out specific smells, but overall it is sweet, and somewhat fruity. Taste is very clean and crisp with little to no aftertaste. Its sweet and sour at the same time. A decent amount of fruit in the flavor. The orange peel does come through. Maybe a touch of apple as well. Slight champagne character. Not really picking up on the cinnamon, however. Its an okay beer, but nothing great.

M/D: Mouthfeel is overly fizzy and bubbly. A little too much carbonation. Finishes very clean with no aftertaste. Drinks rather easily. I remember this one being more sticky and intense last year.

Not a bad beer, but far from other excellent Ohio winter seasonals. Other than the Gatekeeper, this is the best beer in their lineup. Worth a shot.

OH OH OH!!!! A new brewery in Cleveland has shown up! Pours to a medium small head which dissipated pretty quickly and there's a ton of sediment in the bottom of this one (probably would age quite well based on that fact). Whoa! A ton of spices shows up immediately on the first sip along with honey. No hop presence at all. This almost tastes too young and I think it will calm down quite a bit if aged for a month.

Dense, cloudy copper/amber color. Countless bubbles cling the inside of the glass. Boasting an outrageous three finger plus barrier of foam, the head crackled as it receded. It was audible from a foot away, sounding like Pop Rock & rain on a window sill. No lace; no retention by the end.

Wow, this tastes really weird. A dull malt bill of toasted bread & caramel is aggravated by brash spices & carbonation. Cinnamon, tea leaves & orange something. A little bit of hoppy bitterness. Everything about the taste is cluttered & muddled; in turn it's rather unpleasant. It doesn't help that the taste can best be summed up as artificial & rotten.

Masquerades as medium body; perhaps there is some truth to it though the feel becomes watery & incredibly thin mid way through. Carbonation is vigorous on the front end; it subsides a little but is ample throughout. Waxy finish with notes of putrid orange rind, processed spice & plastic.

At first I thought this would be a solid offering from Indigo Imp; while cold it tastes ok, if a little bland. As it warms, the aforementioned penchant for the artificial & rotten takes hold. This doesn't even come close to the dregs of Northeast Ohio's best winter brews.

Pours a murly brown, with no head and little sign of carbonation. Aroma of caramel, spice and vegetal notes. In the taste, cocoa, nutty malt and a touch of spice on the back end. Carbonation is between low and non-existant. Overall, mellow flavors, with a bit more carbonation this would be better.

I very much enjoyed this beer. It's very unique, not much like traditional winter or Christmas beers. For better or worse, it doesn't even seem much like typical beer but rather a cinnamon-infused malt brew with just a hint of hop dryness at the end.

This is an extremely drinkable beverage based on the balanced spicy flavor, apparently low-ish alcohol and very subtle bitterness. I rarely can drink more than one "winter" beer at a sitting, but I could easily stick with these for an evening of cold weather drinking (it's 16 degrees in Cleveland as I write this).

A - Pours a cloudy amber with a massive head and took a good 5 minutes to recede.

S - First smell was pleasant and spicy but it gave way to a metallic scent as the head receded.

T - Again, in the first few sips I could pick up on some good flavors of cinnamon and orange but as I drink it gets a little more bland and watery. The process of being unfiltered and naturally carbonated is somewhat different to me as I am not used to drinking the Real Ale if you will.

M - carbonation is high but not unpleasant

D - I still prefer some other winter seasonal offerings, but this is a solid beer that I would recommend at least a try

This beer is weird. I'm not sure if it's supposed to taste like this or what, but it doesn't taste like any other beer I've had. It's not terrible, just very different. It's like a fruit juice more than anything. Not sure I could recommend it to anyone.

12oz bottle poured into a pint glassA: Average brown color with a thin head that disappears quite quickly. S: Quite malty, with caramel and just a bit of nondescript spice/citrus.T: Quite sour, as is the case with most of Indigo Imp's beers. Some of the caramel/citrus/generic spice from the nose comes through, but is hidden beneath the acid.M: Light and crisp.O: I like this because I like acidity, but I would much rather drink it as a refreshing drink during the summer, it did not come across as a winter beer to me.

A-deep reddish copper color with a thin bubbly light tan colored head. Solid retention and leaves a small amount of lacing on the glass

S-the nose is actually very strange. A lot of things going on here. It has some cinnomon, a peppery spice, very grainy, grassy hops, touch of pine.

T-the taste is a lot more focused and works much better than the nose. There is some sweet caramel, notes of cinnomon up front. Grassy hops, a touch of pine, lemon, and citrusy hops come in next. It is spicy towards the back and also has some nutmeg to match the cinnomon

M-very smooth and slightly creamy. A good bit of carbonation and a medium body on this one.

D-the nose scared me, it was all over the place and didn't work well together. The taste was much better and seemed like a decent winter warmer. Classified as a red ale, not sure why.